I was recently investigated for a HIPAA violation. I received information while at work about an employee who had checked into the hospital. I asked what happened and was given information. I repeated this information to another person and now am being investigated for a HIPAA violation with risk of losing my health care license. I had no specific knowledge of their hospital stay and I did not look up any medical records. I repeated hearsay from other employees that were not directly the health care provider of the patient/employee.

I repeated this information to another person and now am being investigated for a HIPAA violation

Therein lies the rub,you repeated the information.
It is of no consequence who you repeated it to.
Read the HIPPA law.

If you repeat information you obtained as part of your employment for a health care provider on a patient of that provider, then you violated HIPAA.